fwd on ithaca student action

[Les Schaffer <schaffer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[bounced from unsubbed "snedeker" <snedeker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Sam Friedman <sam.friedman@xxxxxxxx>
To: <psn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <spiritof1848@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
<marxist@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 3:27 PM
Subject: Tuesday, December


Tuesday, December 5th, 2000      PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY!
EMERGENCY! SEND LETTERS OF SOLIDARITY!

HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS OCCUPY OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID AT ITHACA COLLEGE,
IN PROTEST OF UNIVERSITY TIES TO PRIVATE PRISONS!

CALL AND EMAIL PRESIDENT PEGGY WILLIAMS: 607.272.5724
EMAIL: PRESIDENT@xxxxxxxxxx

Seven people have been occupying the financial aid office, with hundreds
more protesters locked outside the doors today at Ithaca college.

The occupation, organized by a coalition led by the Young Democratic
Socialists and The Nine, has been going since 12 o'clock December 4th..
The students are demanding that the college break it's contract with the
Sodexho Marriot corporation, which runs the cafeteria service there, if
Sodexho fails to divest from private prisons before April 1st. The
occupation comes after months of fruitless attempted negotiations with
the college administration.

This is an emergency action.  It is possible that there will be arrests
very soon. It is currently 4:30 pm in Ithaca, NY. Please flood the
President Peggy Williams' office with phone calls and emails RIGHT AWAY.

CALL AND EMAIL PRESIDENT PEGGY WILLIAMS: 607.272.3724
EMAIL: PRESIDENT@xxxxxxxxxx

The message is clear:
1. The college should immediately sign the letter, stating that they
will break their contract with Sodexho if Sodexho has not divested
completely from private prisons by April 1, 2000.
2.  2. The college should not take any punitive action against students
involved in this action, particularly since they have a clear, moral
option. That option is to sign the letter and to end the University's
ties to the prison industry.

LET THEM KNOW THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING.
LETTERS OF SOLIDARITY ADDRESSED TO THE STUDENTS CAN BE SENT TO
dolemitep4@xxxxxxxxx or to kpranis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Media calls should be directed to Kevin Pranis at  (646) 486-6715 or
Daraka Larimore at (917) 860-4635
kpranis@nomoreprisons.